Bob Godshall is an ECF member and a very knowledgable political e-cig activist with connections with both Big Tobacco, CASAA, and the FDA. It is his thread which is an Action Alert "sticky" at the top of every ECF page warning about the FDA & Big Tobacco plans for the Deeming Regulations.
That's not what the warning says. It doesn't indicate BT plans for deeming regulations. It states FDA's plans would give over entire eCig industry to BT. Nothing on that link can be found that indicates BT is involved in the plans.
He has has been extremely vocal about not letting the FDA let Big Tobacco to take control of the e-cig market. He knows more about this subject than anyone here.
And yet, won't dialogue with anyone here about it, on open forum. He has encouraged BT to get into the eCig market. But then cautioned that BT's involvement could lead to situation where BT is monopolizing the entire industry. So, then why ask them to get involved? I question some of what BG says on these matters, but thus far all I get in response is other people saying "he knows more than anyone else on the subject." Great, that's helpful, or I mean entirely frustrating considering the routine use of over the top rhetoric and confusing position (encourage BT to get into eCig market, but turnaround and claim if FDA regulations are put forth, BT stands to gain the most).
I took the liberty to add some of his threads in my original post in this thread which should address your questions about connections between the two.
It does not address the simple question of what is this connection. Am glad to go over each link you provided to see if it says what you are alleging it says. I believe it does not, and indicates no actual plans by BT to aggressively pursue FDA regulations in some attempt to corner the market.
If go by Bill's version of the connection, it is based on speculation of what deeming regulations will in fact be, and perpetuates idea that there will be nothing done from opposition (namely eCig attorneys) to challenge worst case scenarios. It just makes assertion that deeming regulation would ban 99% of all products currently on the market and likely hand entire industry over to BT (and other companies that make cigalikes). Don't forget that last parenthetical point, as it kinda sorta detracts from the message of "BT just darn took over entire eCig industry" speculative point.
Main point with deeming regulations, right now, here today, is it theoretically COULD ban all eCigs on the market, EXCEPT for those who have been magically approved by FDA. We can sit here and assume some shady tactics absolutely had to be involved for those companies, or we could simply realize that companies that are in this industry for the long haul, knowing precisely how TCA is written and designed to work, chose to become aggressive by being compliant with potential regulations, as if those might someday be applied to eCigs.
I think it is important to note that if BT wasn't in the picture, then FDA deeming regulations would obviously not be handing industry over to BT, but would still be possibly handing it over to the cigalike companies. Also possible that no company is allowed in the door, and possible that everyone in the market thru say end of 2013 is grandfathered in. But the more I sit here and consider what is likely to occur, the more I wonder why would BG encourage BT to get into the market and then turn around and act like that would be horrible thing to occur? Gotta say, kinda seems fishy to me, but I'm sure there's explanation that works for all BG supporters.
So, all the mom and pop eCig companies that took advantage of gray market were (still are) taking enormous risk if they are simply not willing to comply with strong possibility for deeming regulations that put eCigs under authorization of TCA. Yet, unless TCA is one big lie, even while it is public record, there is an inroad for any manufacturer / vendor to get on board. And if they are waiting until right now, then yes, we could theoretically live in a period of time, where certain companies / vendors are not able to sell their products legally. Doesn't mean they won't be available at all, but does mean that they'd be taking a risk, just like they were seemingly willing to do in the gray market, when it wasn't officially legal to sell these products.
But if we are being realistic here with market forces, supply and demand, this period we are imagining that has magically handed entire eCig industry to BT (and other cigalike vendors) would mean that certain consumers, namely all those who hate cigalikes but love vaping, would have to do a 180 and go only with cigalike devices. Whereas, black market and those willing to take risks in that type of market would plausibly continue meeting a demand that is well established, but even today, not the most popular version of eCig devices.
We'd also have to assume that government has somehow managed to eliminate black market on eLiquid and liquid nicotine (thereby eliminating DIY), which I think would be monumental feat considering government's track record on other controlled substances.
Thus, we are really, IMO, just talking about a period of time where
potential consumers, who only wish to buy products legally, would possibly be stuck with only cigalike devices. Personally, I think that'll be a relatively short period of time, but admit I don't know. And am very curious how a BG or any other person in this debate would claim to know, for certain, how long that period of time would be, assuming worst case scenario occurs with deeming regulation(s).
